Vapor-stove



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

G. B. MQOLELLAND & H. RUPPEL.

VAPOR STOVE.

No. 424,654. Patented Apr. 1. 1890.

M i@% jf/m y 2401442434 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. B. MoGLELLAND & H. RUPPEL.

VAPOR STOVE.

No. 424,654. Patented Apr. 1, 1890.

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VAPOR STOVE.

Patented Apr. 1 1890;

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G. B. MGGLELLAND & H. RUPPBL.

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UNIED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. MCCLELLAND AND HENRY RUPPEL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VAPOR-STOVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,654, dated April 1, 1890.

Application filed September 12, 1889. $erial No. 323,727. (No model.)

To coZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. MOCLEL- LAND and HENRY RUPPEL, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor-Stoves, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates particularly to the method of producing the initial flame in vapor-stoves, whereby the hydrocarbon, which is received at the burner from an elevated tank through the usual arrangement of pipes, is sufficiently heated for self-volatilization, in order that it may burn clearly. The special design of our invention is to produce this volatilization without smoke and without the use of what is known in vapor-stove mechanism as a drip-cup, usually situated immediately below the burner, and in which a small portion of the hydrocarbon burning-fluid is held and lighted in order to heat the burner sufficiently to produce the self-volatilization necessary to the accomplishment of the obj ects of a vapor-stove.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification, we have shown the best mode which we know of accomplishin g this object.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a common vapor-stove with our improved attachments. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section showing the burners and bellows, as well as the supplemental gasoline-can,in section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing in detail the burner-valve; and Fig. 4 is an e11- larged detail section showing the application of part of our invention, particularly the heating of the burner and hydrocarbon-chamber.

Similar letters of reference in the different drawings refer to similar parts.

\Ve will now proceed to describe our inven tion from the drawings.

A is a vapor-stove frame of the usual construction.

B is a tank for holding the hydrocarbon, elevated above the stove in order to give sufficient pressure.

0 is the main feed-pipe for the fuel.

D, D, and D are the burners, the stove shown having but three burners.

In the usual operation of a vapor-stove the valve E in the pipe 0 is opened to allow the fluid to come into the pipe from the tank, and, according to the different burners that are desired to be used, separate valves F are opened when it is desired to use any one of the burners on the pipe to which this particular valve is attached. lVhen the fluid comes into the short pipe which connects the burner with the main feed-pipe, it passes into a chamber a, (shown in Fig. 4,) from which, through the needle-valve h, it is introduced to the burner. Oustomarily there is a dripcup placed on the under side of the chamber a about at the point designated a. This drip-cup contains a small portion of the hydrocarbon fluid, which is lighted for the pur pose of warming the burner sufficiently to form an initial volatilization of the hydrocarbon, in order that it may burn freely and without smoke.

Our purpose in this invention is primarily to accomplish the heating of the chamber a and the burner D without using any drip-cup, consequently doing away "with the smoke, which is the necessary result of lighting the hydrocarbon in an open cup. To accomplish this purpose, we use a bellows G, made of leather in the form of an accordion, or of rubber or any other suitable material. This bellows fits loosely in a case or tank I,which is provided with a cover. The top of the bellows is a cast-iron diaphragm of varying thickness, ac-

cording to the pressure which may be desired. The thickness of course, causing a diiference in weight, will cause a more rapid or a slower descent of the bellows and consequent expulsion of the air through the port 0 in the bottom plate of the bellows. Passing through the cover of the tank I is a rod d, provided with a handle at its upper end. Centrally located in the diaphragm e is avalve-aperture, designed to seat the cone-valve which forms the lower extremity of the rod d. to the extreme lower end of the rod cl and bearing against the lower surface of the diaphragm eis the fiat steel spring f, which closes the valve when the rod (Z is free. Before the Attached hydrocarbon is allowed to start through the feed-pipe by opening the valve the bellows G is filled with air by raising the diaphragm E through the medium of the rod (Z, and in order that the air may freely fiow into the bellows the aperture in the cover of the tank or box I is considerably larger in diameter than the rod (Z. Upon pulling up on the rod (Z the spring f lengthens out and the valve g is un-.

seated, allowing the air to rush into the bellows as the diaphragm is raised. The diaphragm being raised to its extreme height, the rod (1 is released, and the weight of the diaphragm forces the air out of the port 0 in the lower end of the bellows, the valve g being closed by the spring f. This air is forced through a pipe 77. into the tank J. This tank J has a compartment in the center running its entire length, formed by the two longitudinal strips of wire-gauze t 11, and this compartment is filled with sponge or other suitable material. The tank is then filled by means of the feeder K to about the height shown in the drawings, leaving at least onefifth of the space of the tank at the top' for air to circulate. The air which is blown through the pipe h enters the open or unoccupied part of the tank J at a point above the surface of the gasoline, and, being forced through the porous section formed by the sponge between the diaphragms of gauze, passes out through the pipe 77/. The spongy material forming the interior portion of the section m between the gauze walls 11 t" must be such as will absorb the gasoline or other analogous material with which the tank J is filled. The air which has been blown through this sponge-filled compartment in the tank J will have absorbed or carried away with it a considerable amount of gasolinesuflicient to make it highly combustibleand, passing through the pipe h, it comes into chambern, Fig. 4. This chamber at is provided with a port-hole Z. The chamber is in the form of a short cylinder open at one end, the other end being closed and centrally elongated into the pin 0. This pin 0 is provided with a crank 13, and is secured in the support which is fastened to the upper end of the pipe h by the cover 0', which is screwed onto the connection. The gas coming through this pipe h comes into the cylindrical valve-chamber n, and its progress is there checked until the chamber is revolved by the crank 13 to a position where the port Z is opposite the end of the pipe 0, and as the axial line of the crank 19 passes directly over the axial line of the aperture Z and parallel with the same it is obvious that, the crank 19 being brought in line with the pipe 0, the end of said pipe and the port Z will be in conjunction.

WVhen it is desired to light the burners, the bellows is extended and the rod cl released. Then the crank 19 is brought in line with one of the pipes O, and upon applying a light to the burner 011 this pipe 0 it will be found that the gas will burn with a blue flame, and as the burner on the pipe 0 is placed immediately below the chamber a of the feed-valve for the main burner this chamber will be heated and the initial volatilization of the hydrocarbon will take place. The needlevalve 2) is then opened (this needle-valve being of the usual construction in this class of stoves) and the burner D is lighted. The crank 11 is then moved in line with one of the other pipes 0, when the flame which has been burning to heat the chamber a on the burner which has already started will be extinguished, and the small burners on the top of the pipe 0 may be lighted to heat the chamber Ct'Of the next burner, andthis operation repeated until all burners that are desired to V be lighted are lighted. To cut off the flow of gas from all of these pipes O, the crank or handle 19 is brought in line with the pipe h. It is often the case in the use of vapor-stoves of the usual pattern that when the flame is shut ofi from the burner by closing the needle-valve b the parts of the burner, and particularly the valve seat or aperture, are so expanded by heat that it is necessary to screw the needle-valve well in. After the burner has cooled it becomes almost impossible to release the needle-valve, and it often happens that the rod 10 is broken. In the operation of a vapor-stove with our improvement it is unnecessary to open the needle-valve until after the burner has been heated by the gas,

and consequently the parts are expanded and the needle-valve can be easily caused to open without danger of breaking the rod w.

WVe do not desire to be restricted in the operation of our invention to the use of gasoline in the tank J; but any analogous hydrocarbonsuch, for example, as Lima distillatemay be used.

Having now described fully the operation of our invention, what we desire to claim an d secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a vapor-stove, the combination of a vapor-burner and a carbureted-air burner located in a position to heatsaid vapor-burner, with an air-pump, a pipe connecting said airpump with the oarbureted-air burner, absorbent material in said pipe, and means whereby said absorbent material may be supplied with the volatile hydrocarbon, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. "In a vapor-stove, the combination of a collapsible bellows or bag and a tank J, havport Z, which is adapted to be alternately in alternate conjunction with the ends of said 10 broughtin position to supply the pipesO with pipes O, substantially as and for the purgas, substantially as and for the purposes set poses set forth. forth. T

4. In a vapor-stove in which the initial ii ggi gi volatilization is produced by a gasjet, the main supplypipe h, connected with the Vitncsscs: burner supply-pipes O by the valve 02, having WV. J. BAINBRIDGE, but one aperture and adapted to be brought FRANK MILLER. 

